EP0407002B1 - Device for advancing and retracting writing element in writing instrument - Google Patents

Device for advancing and retracting writing element in writing instrument Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0407002B1
EP0407002B1 EP90304148A EP90304148A EP0407002B1 EP 0407002 B1 EP0407002 B1 EP 0407002B1 EP 90304148 A EP90304148 A EP 90304148A EP 90304148 A EP90304148 A EP 90304148A EP 0407002 B1 EP0407002 B1 EP 0407002B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cylinder
knocking rod
knocking
projections
cam follower
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP90304148A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0407002A1 (en
Inventor
Yoshihiro Tomura
Keiji Maruhashi
Nobuyuki Ozawa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pilot Corp
Original Assignee
Pilot Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pilot Corp filed Critical Pilot Corp
Publication of EP0407002A1 publication Critical patent/EP0407002A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0407002B1 publication Critical patent/EP0407002B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K24/00—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units
    • B43K24/02—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions
    • B43K24/08—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions operated by push-buttons
    • B43K24/084—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions operated by push-buttons with saw-like or analogous cams

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a writing instrument and, more particularly, to a device for advancing and retracting a writing element in a writing instrument such as a ball-point pen.
  • the writing element is always resiliently biased against the rotary cam follower, so that when the writing element is allowed to retract into the body with the rotary cam follower disengaged from the stationary cam, the knocking rod will be forced toward a rear opening of the body due to the resilient biasing force. Therefore, the knocking rod will be slipped rearward out of the rear opening if a suitable countermeasure is not provided to prevent this.
  • various structures In order to eliminate this problem, there have been proposed various structures.
  • a radially inwardly projecting engaging stop is formed on the inner wall of the body so that when the writing element is retracted, an engaging portion of the knocking rod is brought into abutting engagement with the engagement stop, thereby preventing the knocking element from slipping out of the writing instrument body.
  • an inward flange is formed in the vicinity of the rear opening of the writing instrument body in opposing cooperative relation with projections extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the knocking rod, whereby the knocking rod is prevented from slipping rearward out of the body.
  • the rear end portion of the knocking rod, or knocking head exposed out of the rear opening of the body is a component part to which is imparted the knocking or pushing force by the thumb of the user. It is therefore desirable to make the diameter of the knocking head as great as possible from the viewpoint of good outer appearance and smooth knocking operation.
  • the knocking head is a member separate from the knocking rod and fitted to the rear end of the knocking rod in an assembling step carried out after a step of inserting the knocking rod into the body. Therefore, the knocking head is naturally greater in diameter than the knocking rod.
  • the knocking head must be inserted into the body through the front opening thereof, the writing instrument body must be maintained upright with the rear opening directed upwardly, until the knocking rod has been fitted and assembled in position within the body, in order to prevent the knocking rod from slipping out of the body through the rear opening.
  • FR-E-89748 discloses a device for advancing and retracting a writing element in a writing instrument substantially as described in the preamble of claim 1.
  • DE-B-1294263 also discloses a device for advancing or retracting a writing element in a writing instrument. This device employs a knocking rod which has longitudinal slots and also lateral projections at the front ends of the knocking rod. These projections engage with a cam surface on the interior of the pen cylinder so that successive depression and release actions on the knocking rod cycle the writing element between advanced and retracted positions.
  • the main purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above stated problems encountered in the conventional writing element advancing and retracting device.
  • a device for advancing and retracting a writing element in a writing instrument comprising a cylinder having a front opening through which the writing element (R) advances and retracts and a rear opening, said cylinder having axial guide means adjacent to said rear opening, a knocking rod disposed in the cylinder and having a front end and a rear end exposed from the rear opening of the cylinder for knocking operation, said knocking rod having engaging projection means snappingly engaging said guide means, characterised by said front end of the knocking rod being formed as a cam portion, stationary cam means being provided on an inner surface of the cylinder and having front sloping cam surfaces and guide grooves, said front sloping cam surfaces and guide grooves being arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of said inner surface of the cylinder in such a manner that the guide grooves extend from the cam surfaces axially of the cylinder toward said rear opening, and a rotary cam follower provided in the cylinder and engaging said guide grooves for guided movement axially of the
  • the knocking rod can be inserted into the cylinder or body through the rear opening regardless of the diameter of the cylinder.
  • it is not needed to prepare an independent knocking head which is attached to the rear end of the knocking rod in the conventional rod, and the rear end portion of the knocking rod can be made to have a desired diameter.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a writing instrument in the form of a ball-point pen, which has a cylinder 1 used as the barrel of the writing instrument.
  • the cylinder 1 has a front opening 1b at the front end thereof and a rear opening 1a at the rear end thereof.
  • the cylinder 1 has a clip 8 on a rear part thereof.
  • Formed at the inner wall surface of the cylinder 1 is a known cylindrical stationary cam 2 comprising sloping cam surfaces 2a and axial grooves 2b formed between adjoining cam surfaces 2a, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
  • a known rotary cam follower 5 is disposed within the cylinder 1 and operatively associated with the stationary cam 2. As shown in FIG. 2C, the rotary cam follower 5 has therearound axially extending ribs 5b each having a sloping surface 5a at the rear end thereof. The ribs 5b are in sliding engagement with the respective grooves 2b of the stationary cam 5 in a manner well known in the art.
  • the sloping surfaces 5a of the rotary cam follower 5 coact with a known cam portion 4 formed on the front end of a knocking rod 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2C.
  • the knocking rod 3 has an enlargd knocking head 3a on the rear end thereof. The knocking head 3a is exposed from the rear opening 1a.
  • a writing element R having a writing end is enclosed in the cylinder 1.
  • the writing end is, for example, a ball-point end not shown.
  • the rear end of the writing element R is in abutting engagement with the rotary cam follower 5 as is known in the art.
  • the cam portion 4 of the knocking rod 3 engages the sloping surfaces 5a of the rotary cam follower 5 and moves the cam follower forward.
  • the rotary cam follower 5 is rotated due to the engagement with the cam portion 4, and the sloping surfaces 5a of the rotary cam follower 5 ride on and engage the cam surfaces 2a of the stationary cam 2.
  • the writing element R in contact with the rotary cam 5 is maintained in its advanced state, so that the writing end projects from the front opening 1b and takes a writing position.
  • the knocking head 3a When the knocking head 3a is knocked with the writing element R in the writing position, the rotary cam follower 5 is once moved forward off the cam surfaces 2a of the stationary cam 2, so that the rotary cam follower 5 is rotated due to its contact with the cam portion 4. Thereafter, when the knocking head 3a is released, the rotary cam follower 5 is retracted along the grooves 2b due to the force of a known spring (not shown) urging the writing element R rearwardly. As a result, the knocking rod 3 is also retracted.
  • the knocking rod 3 is formed with a pair of radially outwardly extending engaging projections 6 on an axially intermediate part thereof.
  • the knocking rod 3 is hollow and has axially extending slots 9 which are formed through the cylindrical wall of the rod at positions between the two projections 6.
  • the knocking rod 3 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin having a small degree of elasticity, so that the slots 9 make it possible to elastically deform the rod 3 radially inwardly.
  • the cylinder has a pair of diametrically opposite guide slots 7 formed axially through the cylindrical wall of the cylinder.
  • the slots 7 have stop ends 7a at the rear thereof.
  • the projections 6 of the knocking rod 3 are in guided sliding engagement with the slots 7, respectively.
  • the stop ends 7a serve to prevent the projections 6 and therefore the knocking rod 3 from slipping rearward out of the rear opening 1a.
  • the internal hole of the cylinder 1 is enlarged at the rear end to form an enlarged cylindrical inner recess 10 in which the enlarged knocking head 3a is slidably fitted.
  • two engaging projections 6 and two guide slots 7 are provided, but it is to be understood that more engaging projections 6 and guide slots 7 may be provided.
  • two or more engaging projections 6 and guide slots 7 are provided so that a stable action of the knocking rod 3 can be obtained. It will be apparent that the number of the guide slots 7 is equal to that of the engaging projections 6.
  • the engaging projections 6 may be in the form of a peripheral flange extending around the entire outer surface of the knocking rod 3. In this case, it is necessary to form a cylindrical recess in the inner wall surface of the cylinder 1. In this modification, a measure must be taken to limit rotation of the knocking rod 3 within the cylinder 1, depending upon the structural relationship between the cam portion 4 of the knocking rod 3 and the stationary cam 2, but this modified construction has an advantage in that a more stable action of the knocking rod 3 can be obtained within the cylinder 1.
  • the engaging projections 6 can be displaced radially inwardly due to the elastic formation of the knocking rod 3. This fact is advantageous in assembling the knocking rod 3 in position to maintain a state in which the engaging projections 6 are engaged with the stop ends 7a of the slots 7, that is, a state in which the writing element R is retracted to its rearmost position.
  • a further advantage is that even if the knocking rod 3 is aged, its stability in action can be ensured.
  • a yet further advantage is that in the case of the insertion of the knocking rod 3 into the cylinder 1, it is not needed to take into consideration the material of the cylinder 1 in relation to the knocking rod 3.
  • Means for enabling the engaging projections 6 to be displaced radially inwardly may be suitably selected.
  • the engaging projections 6 may be formed as resilient arms each formed by cutting a portion of the wall of the knocking rod 3 so as to cause the cut portion to extend obliquely outward.
  • the front cam portion 4 When the knocking rod 3 is inserted into the cylinder 1, the front cam portion 4 is first inserted through the rear opening 1a into the cylinder 1 and the knocking rod 3 is pushed forward with the projections 6 resiliently displaced radially inward by contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 1.
  • the slots 9 facilitate resilient deformation of the rod 3 radially inward to allow the projections 6 to be displaced radially inward.
  • the front sloping surfaces 6a of the projection 6 facilitate gradual inward displacement of the projections 6 when the projections are to be inserted into the hollow interior of the cylinder.
  • the sloping outer surfaces 6b serve the same purpose.
  • the knocking head 3a may be provided integrally with the rear end of the knocking rod 3. The capability of inserting the knocking rod 3 through the rear opening 1a makes the assemblying process much simple.
  • the cylinder 1 does not form a part of the holder barrel of the writing instrument.
  • the cylinder 1 terminates at a forward end 1c and a separate barrel 11 is fitted over the cylinder 1.
  • the rear end of the barrel 11 is shown at 11a.
  • a hole 12 is formed through the rear part of the barrel 11 and a protrusion 13 on the outer surface of the cylinder 1 is fitted in the hole 12 to securely hold the barrel 11 on the cylinder 1.
  • the present invention provides a device for advancing and retracting a writing element in which the assemblying operation of the knocking rod into the cylinder is simplified and the number of the component parts is reduced.
EP90304148A 1989-07-07 1990-04-18 Device for advancing and retracting writing element in writing instrument Expired - Lifetime EP0407002B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP79599/89 1989-07-07
JP1989079599U JPH0753993Y2 (ja) 1989-07-07 1989-07-07 筆記体の出没機構

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0407002A1 EP0407002A1 (en) 1991-01-09
EP0407002B1 true EP0407002B1 (en) 1994-03-09

Family

ID=13694474

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90304148A Expired - Lifetime EP0407002B1 (en) 1989-07-07 1990-04-18 Device for advancing and retracting writing element in writing instrument

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US5004364A (ja)
EP (1) EP0407002B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPH0753993Y2 (ja)
DE (1) DE69007188T2 (ja)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5263786A (en) * 1991-10-17 1993-11-23 Kotobuki & Co., Inc. Rotary-cam ball-point pen
ES2069172T3 (es) * 1991-10-21 1995-05-01 Kotobuki & Co Ltd Pluma de punta de bola de leva giratoria.
IT1270936B (it) * 1993-05-12 1997-05-16 Stilolinea Srl Penna a sfera di montaggio semplificato
JP3490008B2 (ja) * 1998-12-25 2004-01-26 株式会社壽 サイドノック式ボールペン
US6536973B2 (en) 2001-07-10 2003-03-25 Bic Corporation Writing instrument
US7066042B2 (en) * 2004-01-07 2006-06-27 Sanford L.P. Advancing/retracting mechanism
JP4456414B2 (ja) * 2004-06-04 2010-04-28 ミクロ株式会社 筆記具
KR20070102727A (ko) * 2005-02-03 2007-10-19 샌포드, 엘.피. 필기구용 이동 거리 증대 기구

Family Cites Families (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR397466A (fr) * 1908-11-26 1909-05-08 Oskar Fehr Volée élastique pour voitures de luxe, de transport et autres
DE807909C (de) * 1948-10-02 1951-07-09 Walter Naegele Mehrfarben-Druckfuellbleistift
US3137276A (en) * 1955-08-30 1964-06-16 Kahn David Inc Protract-retract mechanism and writing instrument including same
US3179087A (en) * 1960-08-30 1965-04-20 Kahn David Inc Writing instrument
DE1294263B (de) * 1962-02-23 1969-04-30 Bross Schaltmechanik, insbesondere fuer Kugelschreiber
CH394865A (it) * 1962-06-07 1965-06-30 Real Patentauswertungs Anstalt Meccanismo di comando per penne, matite, ecc., a punta scrivente retrattile
FR1436664A (fr) * 1965-03-06 1966-04-29 Bourbon A & Fils Sa Ets Perfectionnements aux mécanismes pour la commande d'appareils à écrire à éléments rétractables
US3326189A (en) * 1965-08-20 1967-06-20 Prec Specialties Inc Writing instrument
DE1943308A1 (de) * 1969-08-26 1971-03-11 Staedtler Fa J S Schaltmechanik bei Schreibgeraeten,insbesondere Kugelschreibern
FR2064671A5 (ja) * 1969-10-08 1971-07-23 Bourbon & Fils Ets
US3810701A (en) * 1970-01-22 1974-05-14 Major Spa Automatic two-part control device for ball point pens and similar writing instruments
JPS567511Y2 (ja) * 1977-11-30 1981-02-18
JPS5924557Y2 (ja) * 1978-06-02 1984-07-20 プラチナ「万」年筆株式会社 ボ−ルペン
JPS5719086U (ja) * 1980-07-09 1982-02-01
JPS5820753Y2 (ja) * 1980-07-14 1983-04-30 赤対 吉雄 錠止装置
JPS60132376U (ja) * 1984-02-13 1985-09-04 株式会社　寿 シヤ−プペンシル
JPH0448470Y2 (ja) * 1986-07-18 1992-11-16

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69007188D1 (de) 1994-04-14
DE69007188T2 (de) 1994-06-30
JPH0320197U (ja) 1991-02-27
EP0407002A1 (en) 1991-01-09
US5004364A (en) 1991-04-02
JPH0753993Y2 (ja) 1995-12-13

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